Stuff Your Stocking Shopping Event

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

The Holidays are Almost Here!

December 2 and 3 Christmas officially comes to Fostoria and we would like to help your business boost sales and increase the number of customers through your doors this weekend and all season long.  

On Friday, December 2 the Annual Tree Lighting at the Municipal Building will take place at 6:30 p.m. and the Fostoria Proud Christmas Card Display will return.  On Saturday, December 3 the Holiday Sip & Shop at the Fostoria Learning Center will take place and the Rotary Christmas Parade will be held at 1:30 p.m. and Santa will return to the Depot.

Last year for Annual Tree Lighting, there were about 100 people downtown for the ceremony, and we anticipate more this year.  Therefore, we are encouraging all Downtown businesses to have evening hours.  We ask businesses to be open between 5:30 and 8 p.m. during which we will run, Shop Fostoria “Stuff your Stocking” event. 

How it Works :

Shoppers will visit participating business and pick up a Red Christmas Stockings between 5:30 and 8 p.m. on Friday, December 2 (limit one stocking per adult).  Each stocking will be pre-stuffed with a list of participating businesses and some stockings will also contain a gift card.  Shoppers will travel from business to business “Stuffing their Stockings” with items provided by the business and of course making purchases.  Suggested stocking stuffer items are candy, coupons, additional gift cards and small holiday items.  Think Christmas Trick or Treat with a chance to win a gift card pre-stuffed in the stocking.  Shoppers who travel to participating businesses and make qualifying purchases of $100 or more during the event will be entered to win a Downtown Fostoria Basket.  Shoppers will have to provide proof of qualifying purchases to the Chamber no later than December 8 to be entered to win.  Contest rules will be printed on the list of participating businesses in each stocking, published on the Chamber website and in a media release to the local newspaper.

To participate as business:

  1. Notify the Chamber of your intent to participate by Friday, November 11. You may call us at

419-435-0486 or email us at Sarah@FostoriaChamber.com to let us know.

  1. Contribute at least 2 gift cards to be stuffed in stockings for shoppers. All gift cards should be at the Chamber office no later than November 18.
  2. Provide small items for shoppers to “Stuff their Stockings” during the event

(see suggested items above).

  1. Be open on Friday, December 2 between 5:30 and 8 p.m.
  2. Help promote the event in store and on social media. We will provide graphics and flyers.

The Chamber is purchasing 288 stockings which will be pre-stuffed with a participating business list and contest rules.  Some randomly selected stockings will have gift cards in them as well (donated by participating businesses).  The stockings will be distributed to the participating businesses no later than November 30.  Any left-over stockings may be used as giveaways on December 3, but we ask you remove the business list with contest rules prior to giving away.  The Chamber will also publicize the event with media releases sent to local and regional news outlets and on social media. 

We hope you will consider participating as we designed this event to help you gain new customers and boost sales.  You do not need to be a Chamber member to participate.  If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please give us a call. 

LAUNCH Fostoria Business Competition Finalist Announced

by Sarah Stephens Krupp Comment Closed

The Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce and Fostoria Economic Development Corporation is excited to announce the finalists in the LAUNCH Fostoria Business Competition.   The LAUNCH Fostoria Business Competition is a three-part, local small business competition which began in May by accepting applications from aspiring entrepreneurs.  From the applications a panel of judges selected the top 8 to move on to the semifinals where the competitors pitched their ventures and four were tapped to move on to the finals.  The final four are Jody and Victoria Beckford, OTR Smokehouse, Kristin VanCuren Koester, Calico Charlie’s, Brent Hoerig, Perfectly Repurposed and Janet Puckett, Created by J Spaces & Events.

Each business will present their business venture to the public on Friday, August 5 at 6:30 p.m. from The UrbanWoody Stage in Market Square Park on the corner of Main and Tiffin Streets. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, listen to the competitors pitch their ventures and cast their vote for the business they would like to see win the competition.  Each vote costs $5 and the competitors will receive all money from the voting in addition to the prize package valued at over $17,000. 

The prize package includes a one year lease in Downtown Fostoria (or equivalent dollar amount in appropriate space), print advertising courtesy of The Review Times, discounted radio advertising courtesy of WKXA, WFIN and 106.3 The Fox, $1,000 courtesy of the Shuff Family Small Business-Entrepreneur Grant, $5,000 in branding and marketing services courtesy of JYoakam Communications, $900 in trainings and courses at the Fostoria Learning Center courtesy of Northwest State Community College and the Fostoria Learning Center, one hour of legal advising valued at $250, three hours of accounting assistance valued at $875, CO.STARTERS course valued at $250 and a one year Chamber Membership valued at $200.

WKXA will be on hand beginning at 6 p.m. with a live broadcast during the event and will MC the competition.  Not Your Mama’s Grilled Cheese Truck will be at The Urban WoodyBrewery and The HoneyBee Winery Immediately following the competition live music from Jake Heil Music will take the stage courtesy of The Urban Woody Brewery. 

“We created LAUNCH Fostoria as a great way to jumpstart ideas, connections and small businesses while inviting the community to invest in an entrepreneur by participating in the finals and casting a vote, said Sarah Stephens Krupp, Chamber/Small Business Director. “Last year’s event was a huge success and 3 of the 4 finalists have operating businesses in our community. This is a unique opportunity for Fostoria, and we are so grateful to everyone who has assisted us in making the last year and this year’s competition a reality.” 

The Launch Fostoria Business Competition is part of the Fostoria Chamber and FEDC’s efforts to build a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in Fostoria.  Both organizations, for the last several years, have been working together to implement programs and resources to assist entrepreneurs, experienced and in-experienced, in starting and growing their ventures.  The organizations have hosted various entrepreneur events and trainings such as Get Started Workshops, starter, and maker events such as the Holiday Sip & Shop, CO.STARTERS courses, Advising Hours, Wayfinding programs and worked with the City of Fostoria to implement a Small Business Revolving Loan Fund. 

“Our work to build a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem is really a grassroots effort to combat the shrinking physical footprint of national chain retailers and fill the gaps in retail and small business in Fostoria with homegrown, locally owned businesses” said Renee Smith, President of FEDC.  “It has been encouraging to see the uptick in entrepreneurs in Fostoria as well as the participation in the competition.”